the chances??

[rae-chill]

I was curious as to what you guys think/have heard about applicants with stats similar to mine... Here goes... 9's across the board on the MCATs (just took them in Aug) with a P (I think) on the writing, 3.54 overall, 3.62 science. Do I stand a chance or should I dust off my MCAT books and start getting reaquainted with the Kaplan staff?

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[SMW]

Welcome to SDN! No one can really say without knowing more about your total application. Your stats are fine. If the rest of your application is strong, you have a shot if you apply to a wide variety of well-chosen schools. You are a little late, so that will work against you, but it's not impossible. Good luck!!

 

[Andrew_Doan]

SMW is correct. People must stop looking at just the GPA and MCAT scores. There's so many components to an application that will make you or break you.

If you're within 1 SD of 10s across the board on the MCAT and 1 SD of 3.5 GPA, then you'll have a shot. Whether or not you get in will depend on the rest.

Good luck!

 

[rae-chill]

thanks for the feedback, i know i didn't give you much to work with... that was my first post to sdn and i didn't want to make it too lengthy in fear that no one would want to read it i agree that numbers don't determine everything, so here are some vitals on myself: some research assistant work (including my current job at children's hospital with the pediatric psychiatry and endocrinology depts), teaching assistant work, medical clerk work, shadowing, advanced honors program, honor societies, etc. but i didn't do too much volunteer work (they offered the money and i didn't refuse, is that such a horrible thing? kidding ) and i haven't published. maybe this will give you a better picture - thanks for the help!!!

 

[Amy B]

I also welcome you to SDN.

A friend of mine was accepted to 2 Virginia schools with 9's across the board on her MCAT. There is nothing wrong with a 27. Correct me if I am wrong anybody, but isn't that where the average is for accepted applicants. I wouldn't worry about taking it again unless you are planning on applying to some upper level schools

 

[Jadeite]

Seriously? You probably don't want to hear this, but your chances aren't all that good. The MCATs should be at least 30 to give you a good shot -- and plenty people with 36's don't get in (Right Pelican?) Your GPA can offset your poor MCAT, but I think the MCAT is worth more than GPA, since it's standard across the board. If you have some really amazing Clinical activities (started a clinic for an underserved population, third world experience, Paramedic, EMT, etc.) I would go ahead and apply. Likewise if you have your name on some scientific papers or come from an very highly renowned university. Also if you are a resident of West Virginia or another state that has a less selective tier highly-in-state Medical School.

Otherwise, the expense might be saved by taking a serious look at your goals and maybe looking at DO, dentistry or going back for a masters and applying again in a few years. Applying to medical school is enormously expensive and that makes it all the worse if you don't get in.

Please don't be mad at me for saying this, but I think it's important for you to get the whole picture.

Jade~

PS. If you think you can do better with the MCATs, I would definitely try again. THey don't bat an eye at taking it twice. Sometimes they'll even take your best cumulative (so don't worry about going down in one area if you go up in another!)

::hugs::

Originally posted by rae-chill
I was curious as to what you guys think/have heard about applicants with stats similar to mine... Here goes... 9's across the board on the MCATs (just took them in Aug) with a P (I think) on the writing, 3.54 overall, 3.62 science. Do I stand a chance or should I dust off my MCAT books and start getting reaquainted with the Kaplan staff?

 

[TexasGuy41]

Is anyone else sick of people recommending DO or Dentistry schools? This is a pre-Allopathic board, the people on this board want it to say MD after their name. It seems like anyone with below a 37 and a 3.9 gets told that they should consider another career path. I'm not knocking the DO or Dentistry route, I respect them both. But if someone wants to know their chances of Allopathatic School, they probably aren't looking for you to tell them to be a DO.

 

[SMW]

Ignore Jaedite! (I can't believe I said that). I can't believe that was a serious post -- at first I thought I was reading another parody on the Affirmative Action thread! It is possible that someone with a 27 won't get in anywhere (or someone with a 37, or a 40 for that matter), but it won't be because of the MCAT score. Unless you only want to go to a top-ranked school, then you don't need to retake the MCAT, consider DO or dentistry, or have amzing EC's to get in. That was a load of garbage (geez, there goes my nice girl SDN image! ). I have said it before, and I'll say it again: stats are not everything, the rest of the application and interviewing ability are as, if not more, important!!!

 

[DW]

Originally posted by Jadeite
The MCATs should be at least 30 to give you a good shot -- and plenty people with 36's don't get in (Right Pelican?) Your GPA can offset your poor MCAT, but I think the MCAT is worth more than GPA, since it's standard across the board. If you have some really amazing Clinical activities (started a clinic for an underserved population, third world experience, Paramedic, EMT, etc.) I would go ahead and apply. Likewise if you have your name on some scientific papers or come from an very highly renowned university. Also if you are a resident of West Virginia or another state that has a less selective tier highly-in-state Medical School.

Otherwise, the expense might be saved by taking a serious look at your goals and maybe looking at DO, dentistry or going back for a masters and applying again in a few years. Applying to medical school is enormously expensive and that makes it all the worse if you don't get in.

i'm gonna have to disagree with this one to a large degree. a 27 is not a "poor" mcat. its average, granted, but the average score of accepted students is a 29!! There are two people on this thread, optho and SMW, who got into top 10 medical schools with "only" a 30!!

please reference the following post from dra foxy in mcat discussions:

"I had a 27 (9,9,9) / 3.66 and I got into UF, Temple and Finch

There's hope for you This time last year I first sent in my amcas (Oct 3rd).

buena suerte!"

and she applied late too!

i know we have some overly positive advice around here, but its equally frustrating when it goes the other way too. yes, having a high MCAT is great, and trust me i'm milking that to death right now, but COME ON, high 20s wont preclude someone from getting into an allopathic school.

maybe not harvard, but you get my drift.

 

[rae-chill]

thanks jade, i want to look at this realistically regardless of how painful it may be... i agree with your comment on how retaking the mcat will not be looked down upon, but what about reapplying to schools? i already submitted my amcas and i was in the middle of working on secondaries - if i go ahead and apply, get rejected, retake my mcats (hopefully kick some mcat booty ) and reapply next year, will they be harder on me?

 

[chopsuey]

The average for accepted applicants is a 30...and that means that with all of those mid-30's people on this website and everywhere else, there are definitely people with mid/high 20's in med school! I don't know about GPA's since I don't know what school you go to, but it's not a horrible idea to apply if you're certain you don't want to take time off. This is the thing....if there is anything else you'd rather be doing next year (as in, maybe if you're a senior right now and would want to take a year off after graduation), you'd get a great opportunity to simultaneously do that, improve your resume and think about if you want to retake the MCAT (it really matters if you think you can do better...). If there's nothing else you want to do and you're not deadset on a highly competitive school or program, I would suggest going for it!

i'm not an admissions expert so i won't pretend to be one. my advice is to talk to a pre-med advisor if you have one at your school who knows your complete file. if not, you can always get a great range of opinions and pick the one that matches your view the best here at SDN!
good luck!!

 

[SMW]

Originally posted by DW
There are two people on this thread, optho and SMW, who got into top 10 medical schools with "only" a 30!!

Oh, and I had zero research, and my EC's consisted mainly of music. Geez, I'm surprised I bothered to apply (and late at that, too, as an August MCATer).

 

[rae-chill]

i want to look at my situation from all different perspectives - that's the precise reason i posted - so all comments are appreciated but i must say, it's a good feeling to have my reality checks surrounded by words of hope... the support and advice is great in here - thanks guys!

 

[Andrew_Doan]

Don't get so fixated on numbers. Schools value the complete applicant rather than just a smart applicant. If you're smart and suck as a physician, then what good will you be?

If it's all about numbers, then you wouldn't be writting essays, filling out secondaries, and interviewing face-to-face.

 

[Mixmaster]

I THINK YOUR FINE WITH 9's
and Jadeite
Please think about this the AVERAGE MCAT for those accepted is 29.5! That means that there are people with less than 29.5 and people with more. It's an AVERAGE!!!!

I am getting tired of people saying that you need a 30 or your chances are really slim. THERE NOT!! AND what about EC's and the other important stuff?

I think the 9's will get you in (ok maybe not Harvard but who cares an MD is an MD right?).

GOOD LUCK ALL!!!!!

 

[Lara]

Definitely you have a chance! Just accept that it's far from guaranteed. Your ECs sound good and should certainly help along with a strong personal statement. I know you submitted your AMCAS app already, but see if you included a good range of schools (around 10-15 at least if financially possible) where the average stats are within reaching distance from yours and where you won't be rejected due to being out of state. If not, I think you can always add some more. I'd say some schools you should definitely include would be Drexel (formerly MCP Hahnemann), Finch (Chicago), Temple and NYMC...probably Albany and Wake Forest too. GW, Pitt, Einstein and Tufts should also be within range.

Best of luck, and if it doesn't happen for you this year don't despair - many students apply to med school twice with more than one MCAT attempt. Just think of it as a chance to strengthen your app and maybe get into a better school for you! But you should certainly have a shot in this cycle if you play your cards right.

 

[Jadeite]

This is my 3rd time applying to many schools, and I haven't had a rejection yet - and lots of interviews (from many, many schools who rejected me before interview the last two years.) Reapplication is not looked down upon AT ALL when you've added something to your file. I also think it could be a positive if you handle the question right in the interview. It makes your strong dedication to studying medicine very obvious - If you retook the MCATs, added ECs and got it all together again they know that you're in this for the long run, and from what I've heard a great deal of medical school success is due to dedication despite adversity, and your interviewer/adcom will know that.

Jade~

Originally posted by rae-chill
thanks jade, i want to look at this realistically regardless of how painful it may be... i agree with your comment on how retaking the mcat will not be looked down upon, but what about reapplying to schools? i already submitted my amcas and i was in the middle of working on secondaries - if i go ahead and apply, get rejected, retake my mcats (hopefully kick some mcat booty ) and reapply next year, will they be harder on me?

 

[Gumshoe]

Remember that it's not necessarily when you get your AMCAS in, it's when the FILE in TOTAL is complete. That is when they start reviewing. So, don't send the AMCAS in and then not try to get the other stuff in as well. Some schools do just grant interviews off AMCAS alone, but not most, especially if you are less than "stellar" (whatever that means for this board) in the numbers department. Take care.

Gumshoe